Dry ski slope: Difference between revisions
→Recent materials: copyedit |
|||
| Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
[[Image:Snowflex.jpg|right|thumb|95px|[[Snowflex]] with stapled seams]] |
[[Image:Snowflex.jpg|right|thumb|95px|[[Snowflex]] with stapled seams]] |
||
The most recent development has seen a crop of materials providing both impact protection and slope lubrication as well as the ability to perform turns, erect jumps, rails and quarterpipes and provide a ride that is closer to the feel of real snow. The most common of these is [[Snowflex]], manufactured near [[Huddersfield]], [[West Yorkshire]] in the United Kingdom by Briton Engineering Developments Limited. Others include Perma-snow by [[John Nike]] Leisure/[http://www.perma-snow.com/ Techmat 2000], also in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] and Astroride by NorCal Extreme Sports in the [[United States]]. [[Snowflex]] and [http://www.perma-snow.com/ Perma-snow] are both white in colour, although the former has been produced in a darker green - see Kendal Ski Club in [[Cumbria]], United Kingdom - to comply with planning requirements.<ref>[http://www.southlakeland.gov.uk/CIS/pdf/3616.pdf Minutes of South Lakeland council meeting]</ref> It should be noted that Perma-snow is not lubricated as it was designed to reduce friction through use of a looped pile, although the effectiveness of this is disputed.<ref>[http://www.snowboardclub.co.uk/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=2182 Discussion on synthetic surfaces]</ref> There is no indication from NorCal Extreme Sports that AstroRide has not yet been commercially tested to any great extent.<ref>[http://www.astroride.com/news.asp NorCal Extreme Sports news page]</ref> |
The most recent development has seen a crop of materials providing both impact protection and slope lubrication as well as the ability to perform turns, erect jumps, rails and quarterpipes and provide a ride that is closer to the feel of real snow. The most common of these is [[Snowflex]], manufactured near [[Huddersfield]], [[West Yorkshire]] in the United Kingdom by Briton Engineering Developments Limited. Others include Perma-snow by [[John Nike]] Leisure/[http://www.perma-snow.com/ Techmat 2000], also in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] and Astroride by NorCal Extreme Sports in the [[United States]]. [[Snowflex]] and [http://www.perma-snow.com/ Perma-snow] are both white in colour, although the former has been produced in a darker green - see Kendal Ski Club in [[Cumbria]], United Kingdom - to comply with planning requirements.<ref>[http://www.southlakeland.gov.uk/CIS/pdf/3616.pdf Minutes of South Lakeland council meeting]</ref> It should be noted that Perma-snow is not lubricated as it was designed to reduce friction through use of a looped pile, although the effectiveness of this is disputed.<ref>[http://www.snowboardclub.co.uk/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=2182 Discussion on synthetic surfaces]</ref> There is no indication from NorCal Extreme Sports that AstroRide has not yet been commercially tested to any great extent.<ref>[http://www.astroride.com/news.asp NorCal Extreme Sports news page]</ref> |
||
<br> |
|||
[[Teflon]], a registered product of DuPont, is the primary coating of nylon based surfaces used on a few indoor dry slopes. One example is [http://www.slope.com/ Slope Infinity], a synthetic slope in Central Hong Kong since 2002. Skis made from Nylatron 666 or Nylatron M.D. can be used instead of standard skis to provide a lower friction coefficient and provide a smoother skiing experience. |
|||
Teflon, a registered product of DuPont, is the primary coating of nylon |
|||
based surface used on a few INDOOR DRY slopes. One example is [http://www.slope.com ]Slope Infinity, a synthetic slope in Central Hong Kong since 2002. |
|||
Inhancing the experience. ( Nylatron 666 or Nylatron M.D.) replaces the standard ski |
|||
(P-tex ) to invoke a lower friction coeffieient. |
|||
A much smoother skiing experience and ability to carve turns efficiently, compared to some of the other current products. |
|||
== Outdoor Artificial Ski Slopes Locations == |
== Outdoor Artificial Ski Slopes Locations == |
||
Revision as of 06:32, 28 November 2007
Artificial ski slopes or dry ski slopes are ski slopes that mimic the attributes of snow using materials that are stable at room temperature, to enable people to ski on them. The term "dry ski slopes" is also used but can be misleading as many slopes are lubricated using a mist or jet system to increase speed and prevent damage to equipment from friction heat build-up. As a general rule, they are found predominantly in the U.K. as continental European countries tend to have ready access to real snow fields, as does North America.
Materials
Early materials
A variety of materials can be found on dry ski slopes.
Early efforts to mimic snow involved laying extruded plastic tiles with upward spikes in an attempt to provide grip. These were unpopular as they provided little grip and turning capability and the experience was similar to skiing across ice.
Brush materials
The next stage in dry ski slope development came with the brush industry. The most common material is dendix, a by-product of brush manufacturing which is similar to a short haired brush with the bristles sticking upwards. Dendix is manufactured in Chepstow in the United Kingdom, however it can be found on slopes throughout the world.[1] It is arranged in a hexagonal pattern of approximately 1 inch (25 mm) strips of bristles in a 4 inch (100 mm) hexagon. Although it was a significant advancement from previous surfaces, concern over damage to slope users (it provides little or no impact protection to a slope user when falling) and ski or snowboard damage due to friction meant litigation for slopes using it was a constant threat. Nowadays water is often sprayed onto the surface of the dendix to lubricate it and increase speed however higher insurance premiums cause many slope operators to look for safer alternatives.[2]
Recent materials
The most recent development has seen a crop of materials providing both impact protection and slope lubrication as well as the ability to perform turns, erect jumps, rails and quarterpipes and provide a ride that is closer to the feel of real snow. The most common of these is Snowflex, manufactured near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire in the United Kingdom by Briton Engineering Developments Limited. Others include Perma-snow by John Nike Leisure/Techmat 2000, also in the UK and Astroride by NorCal Extreme Sports in the United States. Snowflex and Perma-snow are both white in colour, although the former has been produced in a darker green - see Kendal Ski Club in Cumbria, United Kingdom - to comply with planning requirements.[3] It should be noted that Perma-snow is not lubricated as it was designed to reduce friction through use of a looped pile, although the effectiveness of this is disputed.[4] There is no indication from NorCal Extreme Sports that AstroRide has not yet been commercially tested to any great extent.[5]
Teflon, a registered product of DuPont, is the primary coating of nylon based surfaces used on a few indoor dry slopes. One example is Slope Infinity, a synthetic slope in Central Hong Kong since 2002. Skis made from Nylatron 666 or Nylatron M.D. can be used instead of standard skis to provide a lower friction coefficient and provide a smoother skiing experience.
Outdoor Artificial Ski Slopes Locations
- Sheffield Ski Village
- Gloucester Ski & Snowboard Centre
- Bellahouston Park, Glasgow
- Bearsden, Glasgow
- Kilternan Ski Slope, Dublin
- Hillend Ski Slope, Edinburgh
- Aberdeen Snowsports Centre, Aberdeen
- John Nike Ski & Snowboard Centre, Bracknell, Llandudno, Chatham, Plymouth, Swadlincote and Bristol
- Aldershot Ski & Snowboard Centre
 | This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. |
References
See also
